Close

And that's that for the day. New Zealand close on 158 for six, 310 runs away from their target. England need four more wickets for a 2-0 series win. Be sure to join us tomorrow for full coverage of what could be an interesting day if the weather gets involved. But, for now, cheerio!

Bad light stopped play

I wonder if the intent of the batsmen has any bearing on the umpire's judgment with the light. If they're defending there's no danger to the fielding side. If, like Southee there, they're looking to cart the thing about then it's clearly a different issue.

55th over: New Zealand 158-6 (McCullum 0, Southee 4) Target 468

Swann to Southee then. He drops short and Southee clonks Bell on the foot at short leg. Next up he carts a powerful on drive for four. Fine shot. But with the ball whistling through the air from the bat, the umpires have seen enough. They're off.

54th over: New Zealand 154-6 (McCullum 0, Southee 0) Target 468

Root has to take his pads off – the light (or lack of it) means he's coming back on. He should rattle through this over quickly to give Swann as much chance as possible for a couple of overs. And he does. A maiden.

53rd over: New Zealand 154-6 (McCullum 0, Southee 0) Target 468

Just before that wicket umpire Erasmus had his magic light box out. It registered 11.5 – if it falls below 7.5 then they'll take the players off. Taylor certainly groped round that ball like a man in a darkened room. Swann has four for 57.

WICKET! Taylor b Swann 70 (New Zealand 154-6)

52nd over: New Zealand 154-5 (Taylor 70, McCullum 0) Target 468

Another couple before 7pm and England might be able to claim the extra half hour. They'd love to get this done and dusted tonight, although the weather forecasts for tomorrow seem to have improved. It's not looking likely – the umpires are in light-investigating mode. Taylor tickles Broad away for a single.

WICKET! Guptill c Trott b Swann 3 (New Zealand 153-5)

A superb stop from Broad in the covers as Guptill looks to take the leather off a full toss. He's got one from 20 balls. Then a tickle round the corner brings him a couple more but there's no sense of permanence. And there we are, he's gone! Played for turn that wasn't there. Edged to Trott.

50th over: New Zealand 151-4 (Taylor 69, Guptill 1) Target 468

Broad comes into the attack and crashes a full ball into Taylor's pads. It's drifting just down the leg side. Things are getting a little slow here. The Sky boys muse about the various sizes of kit being worn by young sub fielders. The crowd is silent. Another maiden.

49th over: New Zealand 151-4 (Taylor 69, Guptill 1) Target 468

Swann probes at Guptill's defences. The first three he pushes at with the bat, the fourth he pads away, to the fifth he goes back … and the last meets a stern forward defensive. Another maiden. Well played.

48th over: New Zealand 151-4 (Taylor 69, Guptill 1) Target 468

Guptill stalks the crease nervously. He's faced 11 balls without getting off the mark now. Then he digs out a Finn yorker and scampers away for a single. Taylor clips the last fine for four more, but the new man will have to face Swann next up.

45th over: New Zealand 145-4 (Taylor 64, Guptill 0) Target 468

Swann continues and he gets a chance to test Guptill. The first is an arm ball that beats the outside edge. The second is left outside off by the new batsman. This is a key period for New Zealand. They really need this pair to survive until the close.

44th over: New Zealand 144-4 (Taylor 63, Guptill 0) Target 468

WICKET! Brownlie 25 c Bell b Finn (New Zealand 144-4)

Finn's radar has gone a bit wonky here – he has Prior sprawling to save four byes down leg side, then drifts another straight onto Brownlie's hips. Then he gets him! It's a vicious ball, a brute that rears up at Brownlie's chin and has him limboing backwards. He can't get his hands out of the way, though, and gloves into the gully for Ian Bell to snaffle.

43rd over: New Zealand 140-3 (Taylor 60, Brownlie 24) Target 468

Following on from our fry-up conversation this morning, I headed straight to the nearest greasy spoon at lunchtime and ordered the 'Full English'. Sausage (spliced to ensure full cook-through), salty bacon, one of those fried eggs that look like little frisbees, a lake of beans, two slices of black pudding and a large pile of chips. Yes, chips. But, as we were very much in lunch territory I think we established that that was allowed. REVIEW! Swann zips one past the outside edge of Taylor's bat. The appeal goes up and Taylor has his arms in the review position almost before Steve Davis's finger has been raised. It's no surprise to see the decision overturned. The noise was bat on pad.

42nd over: New Zealand 140-3 (Taylor 60, Brownlie 24) Target 468

Taylor slashes Finn square for four. Finn responds by crunching a short ball into Taylor's upper arm. He wheels away in pain, but is smiling with annoyance at himself. Smiling with annoyance? Is that even possible? From the last Brownlie carbon-copies his partner with a cut to the boundary.

41st over: New Zealand 131-3 (Taylor 56, Brownlie 20) Target 468

40th over: New Zealand 131-3 (Taylor 56, Brownlie 19) Target 468

The light is good enough to allow Finn to continue. Brownlie rides a well-directed short ball very well and scampers through for a quick single. Another fine ball almost gets through Taylor's defences, but a combination of glove and bat keeps the thing out.

39th over: New Zealand 128-3 (Taylor 54, Brownlie 18) Target 468

Taylor pushes Swann square for two and brings up a very good half century. It's taken only 78 balls. A couple of balls later he does very well to survive as one stays ludicrously low. A fast jab down with the bat just about keeps the ball out. He follows that up with a shackle-shattering slash for four more.

38th over: New Zealand 122-3 (Taylor 48, Brownlie 18) Target 468

Steven Finn comes into the attack – the light must've improved a touch. He thwocks Taylor on the pad. Appeal. A shake of the head. REVIEW! Hawkeye shows it's just clipping the outside of off stump, so we stay with the on-field decision. Cue more squinting, peering and general murk-bothering. Taylor jabs a single to square leg, the first run for 15 balls or so.

37th over: New Zealand 121-3 (Taylor 47, Brownlie 18) Target 468

Brownlie gets cut in half by Swann with one that spits out of the footmarks and leaps through at belly-button height. Then there's a huge appeal as Brownlie catches the ball between his legs. He's well outside the line so there's no review. A maiden – New Zealand look like they've decided to dig for the close.

36th over: New Zealand 121-3 (Taylor 47, Brownlie 18) Target 468

Lots of peering going on out there now. Peer. Rueful smile. Squint. Cheeky grin. Furrowed foreheads then raised eyebrows. Root comes round the wicket and gives the ball a bit of flight. He's been very tidy.

34th over: New Zealand 118-3 (Taylor 44, Brownlie 18) Target 468

Indeed it is Joe Root who is going to come into the attack. So again Cook's decision to bat on comes under question – why bat on when the light is going to deny you the use of your three main strike bowlers? He keeps Taylor honest, but there's little threat.

33rd over: New Zealand 117-3 (Taylor 42, Brownlie 18) Target 468

The umpires convene and have a think about the light, while the batsmen make a few squinting ooh-it's-getting-a-bit-murky-ump faces. We might see Root or Trott at the other end, but Swann continues to Brownlie here. A maiden.

32nd over: New Zealand 117-3 (Taylor 42, Brownlie 18) Target 468

Brownlie pushes Anderson square for a couple more to bring up the 50 partnership – it's taken only 65 balls. Brownlie digs out an attempted yorker. And then another. Meanwhile, there's nervous news for Watford supporter Steven Finn – the Championship play-off final is heading into extra-time.

31st over: New Zealand 112-3 (Taylor 42, Brownlie 14) Target 468

Slack stuff all round – Swann sends up a full toss, Brownlie can only smite it into the turf, Anderson fails to make the stop and the batsmen scamper through for three. Swann looks narked, and this won't improve his mood – a full-pitched delivery is dispatched neatly through the covers for four.

30th over: New Zealand 105-3 (Taylor 38, Brownlie 11) Target 468

Anderson continues and gets one to jump up slightly at Brownlie, who does well to guide the ball down from high up on the bat, then two balls later one stays low and is an inch or two away from castling the batsman. Anderson takes his cap and mooches off towards the boundary.

29th over: New Zealand 103-3 (Taylor 37, Brownlie 10) Target 468

Swann overpitches and Taylor drives sweetly through the covers for four. That brings the New Zealand 100 up and takes Taylor to a rapid 36 from 44 balls. He's playing very well, but then he often seems to be playing very well right up until the point that he gets trapped lbw for 40-odd.

26th over: New Zealand 91-3 (Taylor 29, Brownlie 6) Target 468

Cripes, Headingley looks sparsely populated now. It's a very low crowd for a bank holiday. Those in the terraces get to warm their palms with a round of applause as Taylor chops Anderson away for four through the empty backward point region. Anderson marches back to his mark, features locked in a state of thunderous rage. He's had rather a grumpy demeanour all Test. Perhaps not quite happy with the way it's coming out.

23rd over: New Zealand 73-3 (Taylor 14, Brownlie 3) Target 468

Swann, who looks like he fancies getting through Brownlie's gate, kicks things off after tea. Brownlie is one of those rare players who actually average slightly more in the third and fourth innings than they do in the opening digs. He made a couple of defiant knocks in losing efforts against South Africa earlier this year – 109 in Cape Town and 53 in Port Elizabeth. But it's Taylor who faces first up, and he squirts one away off the edge for four.

Evening all. That pitter-patter you hear is the sound of the first of the day's rain falling in Keighley. We should be OK water-wise for the rest of the day, but it is clouding over a touch so the light could be a bit of an issue. That said England might not need all that long – Graeme Swann looks like taking a wicket with more or less every ball he sends down.

22nd over: New Zealand 68-3 (Taylor 9, Brownlie 3) Target 468

A misfield from Bairstow allows Brownlie to collect another two runs, this time with a short-arm jab through point. He attempts to do the same a ball later, trying to cut a delivery that keeps low and fizzes past his edge. And with that over comes tea. John Ashdown will ease you towards the end of the day, so drop him a line on john.ashdown@guardian.co.uk.

"Last time I looked, Nazareth was part of internationally recognised Israel," emails Barry Davis getting us into the verges of an international incident. But is there any cricket there? That's the big thing.

21st over: New Zealand 66-3 (Taylor 9, Brownlie 1) Target 468

Rutherford ought to be pretty upset with himself getting out just before tea. Root just can't keep out of the game, he looks good in at short leg. Brownlie will be very nervous facing Swann today after being utterly bamboozled by him in the first innings. He pokes and prods at two, then leaves a third uncertainly. He finally gets off the mark, a little luckily, by working a turning ball around the corner for one.

20th over: New Zealand 63-2 (Rutherford 40, Taylor 9) Target 468

A good stat on the telly shows that Finn has been fuller to Taylor today, which is perhaps why the batsman looks a little more comfortable. Probably shows that the pace has gone from the pitch too. Finn raps Rutherford on the back leg and has half an lbw shout but knew, really, it was going over the stumps. Rutherford responds with a wild, rasping drive and the ball flies at great speed just over Bairstow's outstretched hand at second gully for four. The replay shows that every single member of the slips and keeper Prior all jumped with Bairstow, living every moment with him.

19th over: New Zealand 57-2 (Rutherford 35, Taylor 8) Target 468

Swann comes around the wicket to Rutherford and looks on in dismay as he slightly overpitches and the batsman whips him to the midwicket boundary to bring the Kiwi 50 up. He completely mistimes a hoick two balls later. He thrashes a much better length ball straight up into the air and is lucky to see it fall safely over Broad's head at mid-off.

18th over: New Zealand 49-2 (Rutherford 28, Taylor 7) Target 468

Taylor and Rutherford exchange singles and, in the Sky box they reckon that Finn is bowling just as fast as usual but that the pace has gone out of the pitch. Taylor and Rutherford exchange singles before Taylor clips a full ball off his legs to the mid-on boundary ... where it rolls, rollllssss, rolllllllssssss ever so slowly for four.

"Re all this Bell bashing," Julian Barrell emails, "weren't we saying two matches ago that he had taken on Collingwood's role of eking out draws after he batted all through the fifth day for the third time in eighteen months?"

17th over: New Zealand 43-2 (Rutherford 27, Taylor 2) Target 468

Rutherford runs a quick single, taking on Broad's arm. The bowler throws down the stumps expertly and the opener is home by a whisker. Good running, good fielding. Taylor also works a quick single from the over.

"There is also Nazareth, Texas," says Marie Meyer. "But with a population of just 350, I'm not sure if there are many office windows for him to be looking out. Unless it is from City Hall. From the photo you can see it has at least 6, probably 8 and maybe as many as 12!"

16th over: New Zealand 41-2 (Rutherford 26, Taylor 1) Target 468

Finn comes steaming in to give Taylor another working over, as he did in the first innings. But he's still not bowling all that fast - about 82mph according to the gun. Still, an 82mph ball to the unmentionables is an 82mph ball to the unmentionables and Taylor has to count 'em after Finn steers one right into the bread basket. Finn then flashes one off the seam and past the outside edge to give Taylor a reasonably uncomfortable welcome to the crease.

"People are overthinking the declaration," says Chris Bourne. "I reckon Cook decided to bat because he fancied getting a decent score after a few disappointments. Having taken that decision, it became necessary to produce a total that would not be under serious threat even if the rain held off.

"A two-match 'series' in late spring is like that. They don't matter much, you can take decisions with more goals in mind than just the result. It would be better to try and get a little three-nation tournament going - each team still plays only two matches but you have more cricket and can arrange the rules to make every run and wicket count."

15th over: New Zealand 41-2 (Rutherford 26, Taylor 1) Target 468

Well that's a big wicket for England as Williamson has a good technique, so you would have imagined he might have been the man to bat slowly for a draw. Taylor looks for runs early, he wanders across to off and then has to jab a very quick bat onto a turning ball that kept low and would have hit leg.

WICKET! Williamson lbw Swann 3 (New Zealand 40-2)

Swann raps Williamson on the pad in line, who has got a big step in. He thinks it is going down the leg side and reviews, but Hawk Eye shows it is umpire's call (just clipping leg) and he had already raised the finger. Williamson has to go.

14th over: New Zealand 40-1 (Rutherford 26, Williamson 3) Target 468

That's a double change then: Steve Finn is coming on from the other end. Two solid spells from Anderson (6-4-7-0) and Broad (6-1-18-1) there. Rutherford works a couple of his hips before gliding a classy drive to the mid-off boundary for four. Finn's not up to full pace yet, bowling at about 81-82mph.

"I wonder if Sam (10th over) is looking out of his office window at Nazareth, Pennsylvania, or Nazareth, Galilee?" emails Richard Hands, either putting the proverbial pussy amid the pigeons or digging himself out of a hole.

13th over: New Zealand 34-1 (Rutherford 20, Williamson 3) Target 468

Here comes Graeme Swann, who should be able to get some good turn given the rough left by the NZ left-arm bowlers and the fact he's got a hard ball with a good seam on it. Cook has not set a particularly attacking field - there's only a short leg, a slip and a very short mid-off in. Swann turns his first ball a mile past Rutherford's edge, prompting the batsman to look distinctly nervy. Rutherford clips the fourth ball very sharply to leg and Joe Root, at short leg, somehow gets a hand to it and throws the ball back at the stumps. Very good fielding but Rutherford was just home. A prod to the midwicket boundary then earns the batsman three.

12th over: New Zealand 31-1 (Rutherford 17, Williamson 3) Target 468

Rutherford makes use of Broad's bounce, opens the blade and boffs the ball over the top of the slips. Broad sticks his tongue out, shrugs his shoulders and trudges back to his mark. Good shot, nothing the bowler could do about it. Rutherford then drops a quick single into the off side towards - you guessed it - deep point. Deep point! Broad probes a line outside off to Williamson who is still thinking about his sore hand and that funny bounce Broad is getting. He hangs a bat at one and is lucky not to edge the ball behind.

"Lots of folks assumed that England batted again to give Compton another opportunity," emails Marie Meyer. "But perhaps it was actually for Bell...or maybe they are sitting together at the Last Chance Saloon. If you look at the figures for the last 12 months you see Bell's average is only 3.5 runs better than Swann's." Or, as Michael Hunt reckons: "Have we really ruled out the possibility that Cook is just a greedy bugger who wanted to pad his ton stats?"

11th over: New Zealand 26-1 (Rutherford 12, Williamson 3) Target 468

Another maiden from Anderson, who is slinging the thing down at around the 87mph mark.

Re. strange cricket venues: "About 10 years ago I played in an Ashes match in October on the baseball pitch (astroturf) at Moscow State University.....it was -1 and we won," reckons Mark Putt in Moscow of the famous 2003 Ashes series contested in Russia.

10th over: New Zealand 26-1 (Rutherford 12, Williamson 3) Target 468

Anderson dives at mid-on and gets a good hand to down to stop what would have been a Rutherford four. The batsman then unerringly picks out the deep point - still there! - in the deep for a single. Broad, mindful of the bounce he's getting and the hand he's just rapped, has called in a short leg for Williamson. The batsman gets up onto his toes though and scrambles a quick single to the off side.

"Oy! Richard Hands [sixth over]!" hollers Sam. "What cricket is there in Nazareth? I'm looking at Nazareth out my office window and can't see any cricket. I also can't see anywhere flat enough to make a cricket pitch." Over to you Richard Hands.

9th over: New Zealand 24-1 (Rutherford 11, Williamson 2) Target 468

That ball from Broad has hurt Williamson. The physio comes on with a bit of cold spray for his injured hand. That must give the fast bowler a big advantage: he's just hit the shoulder of an opener's bat to get a wicket, then clobbered the No3 on the fingers with another lifting ball. Anderson is bowling at the moment though, and he bleeds the sixth and seventh runs of his five-over spell to a push past a despairing mid-off dive.

"Cook was at Adelaide wasn't he?," Robin Hazlehurst reminds. "He'll always bear the scars, he probably still wakes up screaming thinking about it (don't we all?). He knows that no match is unloseable. Even if you declare for over 550 it may not be enough. It's never enough. Do England have enough now? Did they have enough then? You're never safe from Adelaide."

8th over: New Zealand 21-1 (Rutherford 10, Williamson 0) Target 468

Not a lot Fulton could have done about that. Broad found a good amount of extra bounce and caught the shoulder of the opener's bat outside off. Bell took a simple enough catch falling forward in the gully. Good bowling that. He clobbers Williamson painfully on the glove as he completes the over too. Incidentally, that deep point is still out there for Rutherford, by the way. A sub fielder. Doing the sub total of subber all.

"Re the declaration delay," emails someone who wants to remain anonymous, perhaps because he/she/it is at work too. "Is it not possible they wanted to give the bowlers more experience in trying to bowl a side out in limited amount of time/overs - which is a much more likely scenario come the Ashes? The large lead is just a byproduct of this ..."

WICKET! Fulton c Bell B Broad 5 (New Zealand 21-1)

7th over: New Zealand 20-0 (Fulton 5, Rutherford 9) Target 468

Anderson tempts Fulton with a very wide one outside off. The opener wafts a bat almost all the way to the ball then pulls out at the last minute, to wry smiles all round. Maiden.

In defence of Cook's declaration: "Hi Tom, a captain always looks very silly if his declaration is over generous and he loses the game," emails Richard Rossler. "Given the position of the series you make sure you win the series even if it's at the expense of drawing the game. I had a look at the BBC weather forecast for Leeds for tomorrow and there's a strong chance the rain will circle round meaning that play on Tuesday is a distinct possibility. Good call by Cook, we get batting practice, the Kiwis face a war of attrition from well rested bowlers." Hmmm, not so sure about that weather forecast and I think the declaration means there's more chance of a draw than a win for England.

6th over: New Zealand 20-0 (Fulton 5, Rutherford 9) Target 468

A short lifter from Broad whistles past Rutherford's eyeballs but the opener evades it simply enough. Broad's fourth delivery is a stunner. It bounces outside leg then flashes right across the left-hander's bows, bouncing high as it goes, and just missing the edge. It puts Rutherford out of whack and he leaves the next delivery which is an inch or so wide of his off stump.

"Re. Tallinn in June (1st over): there are stranger places for a cricket tour/match, no doubt – but not many, I'd wager. I see your Talinn and raise you Nazareth.I believe the Malian Cricket Federation is also very keen to welcome visiting sides – no takers yet, alas. Come onOBOers, what you got?" emails Richard Hands who has yet to explain what possible business he has in Burkina Faso.

5th over: New Zealand 20-0 (Fulton 5, Rutherford 9) Target 468

Finn dives on the boundary to try and stop a Fulton leg-flick four but just can't keep his legs off the rope as he does so. Those are the first runs Anderson has conceded off the bat and he keeps things tight for the rest of the over, forcing Fulton to fish for a short one outside off that has the slips sucking thoughtful teeth.

"Isn't it unusual how remarkably similar the Test records of Cook and Pieterson are considering their differing temperaments and styles? Granted Cook has now jumped ahead in terms of the number of hundreds," emails George Humphreys, who points out that he is at work (though not for long if his boss reads this). He adds, somewhat unusually: "Have you also noticed how similar Laura Robson and Tom Daley look?"

4th over: New Zealand 16-0 (Fulton 1, Rutherford 9) Target 468

Rutherford eases a back foot push through the covers for four, prompting Cook to bring in a deep point. That's a deep point, with New Zealand requiring a record run chase to win and the ball still with all its shine. A deep point. Deep. Point. Rutherford then bottom-edges the ball down and through the slips. The deep point fails to get a hand to it, seeing as he's at deep point. Fulton gets off the mark with a workmanlike clump to backward square.

3rd over: New Zealand 10-0 (Fulton 0, Rutherford 4) Target 468

Anderson booms an in-swinger down the leg side and Prior is unable to get a glove to a leg-bye. Four runs, and Anderson hasn't quite got his line yet. His fourth ball is much better and he gets one to keep very low, forcing Fulton to jab a quick bat down to keep the ball out.

"Can anyone think of any reason why we had to wait for a declaration?" splutter Matt Fordham. "I mean, any at all? Does Cook really think New Zealand are about to set a world record by batting in the rain tomorrow or do some of the team think its a bit cold for fielding so let's spend a bit longer in the warm?" I can only think Cook and Flower wanted to give the likes of Root and Bairstow time in the middle, the failure to enforce the follow-on perhaps being designed to help Compton too.

2nd over: New Zealand 6-0 (Fulton 0, Rutherford 4) Target 468

The over debate solved: there are 61 overs today with the option of a further eight if necessary. Broad takes the new ball at the other end and Rutherford gets the New Zealand innings off the mark with a leg bye to fine leg off his thigh. Broad is attempting to bowl a tighter line than Anderson, but Rutherford is unafraid of smearing a well-pitched up ball through the covers for four. As the cliche goes, Broad won't mind that: to see an opener swinging a drive in the second over of an epic run chase with a full slip cordon behind is very welcome indeed. As if to prove the point he thick edges to Bell in the gully along the ground a ball or two later.

1st over: New Zealand 0-0 (Fulton 0, Rutherford 0) Target 468

Anderson finds movement in the first over. His third ball is just short of a length and pitching just outside off. It pings out jaggedly towards first slip though prompting a little grin from the bowler. That was some big seam movement there. His sixth delivery too moves sharply away, Fulton is happy to let Anderson have a maiden though.

Here's Robin Hazlehurst with his daily invitation to OBOers: "If this is to be the last day of test cricket before July, then I suppose it is about the last chance for me to issue the now well-worn invitation for all OBO readers to join the OBO XI in its weekend tour to Tallinn, Estonia. This will be on 29-30 June and the OBOccasionals are playing the Old Barabarians of Estonia and the OBO's own Sara Torvalds' Ekenas from Finland. Lots of fun and some not very good cricket are on the menu, and a chance to make history in the first OBO tour. Anyone wanting the final berth in the line up, just let me know." Email me on the above address (or indeed anyone helming the OBO) and we'll forward them on to Robin.

Some debate as to how many overs we will have left today: seems to be hovering somewhere between 61 and 69 overs. Whichever it is, you suspect England will need to take 10 wickets within them. The clouds have helpfully rolled over Headingley as Jimmy Anderson paces out his run-up.

Andy Flower is having a good look at the pitch during the break, while the England bowlers are all whirling arms and generally puffing their cheeks a bit as they warm up. Here's more on the Bell debate:

"Come on now, Bell batted for six hours to help save the third test in NZ," yelps Matt Cast. "Surely we can accord a man who is averaging 46 in tests a bit more than two poor matches before calling for his head."

Innings break

So England declare on 287-5, a lead of 466. New Zealand will chase 467 while Anderson, Broad, Finn and particularly Swann will look to flatten then as quickly as they can before the rain comes tomorrow. And rain has been reported as close as Manchester today, so they'll need to get on with it.

"Tracey Fisher makes a good point abut Bell not getting runs," reckons Gareth Fitzgerald. "But he is worth more than that – he is a reminder of the bad times. Of guys like Lathwell, Crawley, Habib, Ramprakash, Maddy, Irani, Knight and Hick sloping to the crease, as we wondered if they would finally be 'The Man' to come of age, and dig England out of a perilous situation. Approximately 19 balls later we would be back hidden behind the sofa, as they marched off, chinstrap in mouth and stumps all over the pitch, courtesy of some fearful bowler like Carl Hooper or Steve Waugh. No Bell = no respect for how good we have it these days."

76th over: England 287-5 (Bairstow 26, Prior 4) England lead by 466

Guptill continues, so Bairstow clubs him back over his head for a straight six. He's looking to smash every ball and thrashes an extra cover drive for four a few balls later, before crunching another powerful straight four. He charges down the pitch a ball later, misses the ball but for a slight edge and nearly gets himself stumped. And that's enough for Cook, he calls the batsmen in and New Zealand will have to chase 467 to win, a good 49 runs more than the highest succesful fourth innings chase

75th over: England 272-5 (Bairstow 11, Prior 4) England lead by 452

Bairstow gave a curious look at the England dressing room after Root's innings came to an end, perhaps wondering if Cook was going to call him in. He doesn't and Prior comes in instead. He gets off the mark by top-edging a hook over McCullum's head and to the fine leg boundary. The left-armer Wagner, incidentally, is bowling round the wicket in an attempt to avoid scuffing the wicket for Swann. Seems like it's a bit late for that.

WICKET! Root c Guptil, b Wagner 28 (England 268-5)

74th over: England 268-4 (Root 28, Bairstow 11) England lead by 448

Guptil continues and Bairstow works a tight two off his hips, this pair clearly looking to accelerate. Bairstow is lucky though, he Chinese cuts a turning ball between stumps and keeper while aiming a drive somewhere out of the ground. Still, suggests there's plenty here still for Swann. Which begs the question as to why the hell he isn't bowling anyway. The crowd are giving Southee stick after his misfield in the 72nd over - which is about the keeping them going as they ponder why England are still batting.

73rd over: England 260-4 (Root 27, Bairstow 4) England lead by 440

There's something very Mike Atherton about watching Joe Root. There's that similar reliability, similar stance and something about the way he runs that recalls the old England captain. Bairstow survives a sharp run out chance after a bit of call confusion. The fielder hurls the ball in, it bounces once and into McCullum's gloves over the wicket. He's in by a third of an inch. He celebrates by getting off the mark with a forced drive through the covers. The Yorkshire pair then trade singles to see out the over.

"So when KP is back it's Bairstow or Compton? Excuse me but could someone remind me when Ian Bell last got serious runs?," emails Tracey Fisher.

72nd over: England 254-4 (Root 25, Bairstow 0) England lead by 434

Guptill bowls Root a full toss and he clobbers it tghrough midwicket for four, the ball trickling through Southee's hands and onto the rope. A single brings Bairstow on strike and he makes a variety of attempts to whack the cover off the ball but doesn't quite get things right. Trott, incidentally, is alongside Amla and De Villiers as one of three batsmen with a Test and ODI average over 50.

71st over: England 249-4 (Root 20, Bairstow 0) England lead by 429

New Zealand have a quick huddle just over the boundary rope, perhaps thanking the god of odd decisions that they have not been put into bat yet, then Trott and Root stride purposefully out to the middle. "England don't appear to have declared yet," reckons Botham, perceptively. Are England solely batting for practice ahead of the Ashes Tests? Is that a bit disrespectful to both the crowd and the opposition. If so, they'll be pleased that Trott wafted at that wide one from Wagner to bring Bairstow to the crease and a bit more middle-time.

Afternoon all, so we're waiting for the declaration then. A mid-afternoon shout, a lunchtime call, or will Cook wait until Trott's on 99 then call them in to punish him for whatever that was last night?

You would think the Kiwis are dead and buried given England's lead is 429 but, with rain forecast for tomorrow, they'll be happy for England to bat for as long as possible. Anyone out there care to hazard a guess at what was said to Trott last night, incidentally?

LUNCH

70th over: England 249-3 (Trott 76, Root 20) England lead by 429

Guptill again for the final over of the morning. Trott joins the party with a reverse sweep of his own – he's not a million miles away from a century of his own here. A single off the final ball gives England 133 runs in the session. Be sure to head back here after the break, when Tom Bryant will be your guide.

69th over: England 243-3 (Trott 71, Root 19) England lead by 423

Root chops a full ball from Wagner down to third man for four more. He just fits at this level, looks the part so completely. As Wagner strays down the leg side he flicks away for a couple more, then produces a reverse sweep – a reverse sweep! – for four more. A remarkable shot, one well worth the grin that breaks out on his fizzog. He's raced to 19 off 13 balls.

68th over: England 232-3 (Trott 71, Root 8) England lead by 412

Martin Guptill – not a regular bowler at Test level by any means – gets a rare chance to turn his arm over. His second ball is a huge pie of a full toss that Trott looks to reverse sweep but can only bunt the ball a yard off the track. McCullum had scampered for cover behind the stumps. Ugly cricket, all in all. Root provides something more aesthetically pleasing with a lovely dab for four. Seven from the over.

66th over: England 222-3 (Trott 69, Root 0) England lead by 402

Williamson, who has three for 68 in this innings, continues to fizz in his spinners. Trott on drives neatly for a couple, a couple that take the England lead to 400. Up on the balcony, Cook is unmoved …

63rd over: England 211-2 (Trott 60, Bell 4) England lead by 391

"Cricinfo has the highest fourth innings score resulting as a win as Windies 418 vs Australia in 2003," writes Peter Wright. "If England bat for a 450 lead they put themselves at risk of looking foolish if they get batted and rained to a draw given the scandalous follow-on let off . Declare at lunch." I can't see any point in going past lunch – if battering the New Zealand spirit was the order of the day then the damage seems to be done by-and-large. Just a single from Southee's over.

62nd over: England 210-2 (Trott 59, Bell 4) England lead by 390

Cook's effort there was actually more of an attempt at a lofted straight drive, which he lofted straight to mid off. Anyway it brings a slightly out-of-sorts Ian Ronald Bell to the crease. He reverse-sweeps Williamson for four to get off the mark.

61st over: England 206-1 (Cook 130, Trott 59) England lead by 386

"I suppose this is the wrong forum in which to espouse the virtues of a nice bowl of muesli and some natural yogurt?" enquires Ant Pease. Yes. Yes it is. Southee returns to the attack once more. Cook pushes for a single to bring up the England 200, and Trott flicks one away for four behind square as the bowler strays to the leg side. Southee yelps an appeal after clonking Trott on the pad, but again it's in hope rather than expectation.

59th over: England 193-1 (Cook 127, Trott 49) England lead by 373

McCullum roars an appeal as Bracewell thwocks Trott on the pad. It was going to miss leg stump by the best part of a foot, but you can't blame the New Zealand captain for trying to inject a little get-up-and-go into his team. Here's a little more detail on that 2019 World Cup announcement:

58th over: England 189-1 (Cook 126, Trott 47) England lead by 370

Some breaking news: "An Irish potato farl is a classic accompaniment to an Irish fry up, really has to be tried to understand but along with a quality runny egg it’s a wonderous experience," says Peter O'Connor. Some other breaking news: "England and Wales will host the 2019 World Cup," says the ECB. Williamson is milked for a couple.

57th over: England 188-1 (Cook 125, Trott 46) England lead by 368

"We tend to take it for granted slightly, but Cook's record is astonishing. It's even better since he became skipper," writes Sam Blackledge. "25 Test centuries in 92 games, seven in 11 games as captain. For England only Atherton (eight in 54) Vaughan (nine in 51) Strauss (nine in 50) May (10 in 41) and Gooch (11 in 34) have more. If it was Pietersen, Dhoni, Sehwag or someone more "eye-catching" and starry the cricket world would be falling over itself with superlatives. As it is, Cook just goes along his merry way. And it probably suits him just fine." And he's going along his merry way this morning – here's four more carved square on the off side, then a single off a scrappy hook as Bracewell looks to test him with a bit of chin music.

55th over: England 181-1 (Cook 119, Trott 45) England lead by 361

Another couple of scampered singles off Bracewell, who is bending his back but enjoying little reward out there. England have scored 65 in this first hour – a repeat in the second hour of this morning session and, despite the reports that England are looking to bat until mid-afternoon, a lunchtime declaration would be a no-brainer. Surely?

54th over: England 179-1 (Cook 118, Trott 44) England lead by 359

"Matt Scott (50th over) is spot on regarding the abomination that is the hash brown," writes David Wall. "Not only repulsive (and inevitably undercooked in parts) itself, the real crime it's perpetuated has been usurping the potato scallop. In that respect it's more like the grey squirrel elbowing out the more attractive red, rather than rock 'n' roll taking over the air waves from easy listening." Trott reverse-sweeps Williamson, and Taylor allows the ball to ping of his knuckles at slip. It was a tough chance but a chance all the same. Just to rub some salt in the wounds it rattles away for four.

53rd over: England 172-1 (Cook 116, Trott 39) England lead by 352

Bracewell digs in a bouncer and Cook looks to hook but gets clattered on the shoulder and helmet for his trouble. And on some celestial square David Shepherd puts his raised foot back on the ground as Cook tickles fine to escape Nelson. A pull for one brings up the century partnership.

52nd over: England 166-1 (Cook 111, Trott 38) England lead by 346

"Nuanced delights of the black pudding", "you've been short changed toastwise", "No Haggis?", "I was appalled to find not a single dish included eggs", "it's unthinkable north of the border not to include a potato scone with a cooked breakfast" … just some of the phrases pouring into the OBO inbox this morning. Anyone hungry yet? Williamson gives Cook just enough width for the England captain to chop neatly away for three.

51st over: England 162-1 (Cook 108, Trott 37) England lead by 342

Bracewell continues and Cook unfurls a straight drive so aesthetically pleasing it should come with one of those audio guides that you get in art galleries, allowing the listener to here it described in a variety of languages. Four of the most beautiful runs. Trott looks to dab late again down to third man and this time edges through the vacant second slip area for four more. New Zealand look exhausted and exasperated.

50th over: England 151-1 (Cook 102, Trott 32) England lead by 331

Williamson comes into the attack for the first time today. Trott carts a low full-toss away for four down to cow corner to bring up the England 150.

And now, an email that includes the phrase "low bean volume": "A Full English should be fried eggs, bacon, sausage, beans, tomatoes (tinned are fine if the dry-moist ratio needs addressing due to low bean volume) and mushrooms," writes Math Scott. "Optional extras include black pudding, fried bread, and toast or bread and butter. There is no place for potato. That includes the American monstrosity that is the hash brown, which appears to have insinuated itself into this country like rock 'n' roll and the training shoe."

49th over: England 147-1 (Cook 102, Trott 28) England lead by 327

"Chips with a fry-up? It depends," begins Grant Cartledge. "For breakfast - abomination! The only acceptable potato is last night's leftovers fried in bacon fat. For tea - underrated necessity! But must be accompanied with, at least, two runny fried eggs. All other times - umpires call." Trott late cuts for four, a shot he's attempted a few times this morning without reward. He's scored 17 from 26 balls today.

47th over: England 136-1 (Cook 96, Trott 23) England lead by 315

Bracewell replaces Wagner, who had the air of a man who has bowled 34 overs in the past day or two. Trott slashes at one and is fortunate to see it bounce just in front of the man at point, then as Bracewell strays on to the pads he whips away a couple through midwicket. "Chips for breakfast? No. Chips for lunch? Yes." reckons Luke Williams. "Brunch is a whole different question; can a fry-up be described as brunch at all, chips or no?" Can. Of. Worms.

46th over: England 132-1 (Cook 95, Trott 20) England lead by 312

Southee is this far away from getting Trott to play on, but the pad comes to the rescue of the England batsman.

"Massive queue outside ground. Whatever happened to paying at turnstile?" rages Jake Dodds. "What technology gives with DRS it takes with centralising sales through ticket offices." Don't worry, Jake, you've not missed much yet. Apart from … oh my goodness! What's that eagle doing. And the lasers too! My word. I have never seen anything like that before in my life. Everyone who was in the ground to witness that will have something to remember for the rest of time. Unbeliveable.

44th over: England 128-1 (Cook 94, Trott 17) England lead by 308

Trott has been positive thus far and nabs another single, then Cook blocks straight for four back past Southee. He moves to within one blow of a 25th Test century. Rich Liversage is all about the Big Issues Of The Day. "Chips with a fry-up," he writes. "Abomination or under-rated necessity?"

43rd over: England 122-1 (Cook 89, Trott 16) England lead by 302

Neil Wagner Hoggards his way in at the other end and Trott pushes square for a single, the first run of the morning and Trott's 12th from 70 balls. Cue a few ironic cheers. Wagner offers Cook a little width and the England captain drives hard for a single, then Trott joins in with a push that runs down to third man for four.

"My (perhaps odd) take on Compton vs Root vs Bairstow is that it depends on whether in the long term England see Bairstow primarily as a wicketkeeper-batsman," writes Bob O'Hara. "If they do, they might prefer him to keep wicket for Yorkshire this summer, otherwise we might do better by giving him a run in the side (rather than dropping him for the fourth time in seven Tests). Whoever's dropped when KP returns can feel unlucky, anyway."

42nd over: England 116-1 (Cook 88, Trott 11) England lead by 296

Tim Southee kicks things off for New Zealand, who are without the side-strained Trent Boult today. Cook props forward and puts bat firmly on ball a couple of times. A maiden. So in answer to my earlier question, not yet.

Compton v Root v Bairstow

It's the issue of the day, isn't it? I think I'm with Nasser Hussain on this one. Compton, to my mind, hasn't got It (in the same way that Joe Root so patently does have It), but now he's in the side I'd stick with him. But it's tricky to find two people with the same opinion on the matter. Either way, it'll be a rather miserable day for Compo today.

Preamble

Morning all. Bank Holiday Monday, eh? Makes the Sunday like a second Saturday, but one somehow laced with a delicious frisson of naughtiness. And, in entirely unrelated news, today's over-by-over is brought to you in association with Ibuprofen, Yorkshire Tea and, hopefully at some point, the good people at Massive Greasy Breakfast.

Today we should see that rarest of sights, an England declaration. Their lead is 296 so New Zealand should be back in at some point this afternoon. Or, if Jonathan Trott has anything to do with it, at some point tomorrow morning. He's thrashed his way to 11 off 69 balls, while his captain is poised 12 runs short of a century.

The weather forecast isn't great for Tuesday in Leeds – and when I say "isn't great", I mean it's gonna rain – and although England aren't a team who seem inclined to concern themselves too much with meteorological predictions, getting a bit of a move on this morning might not be a bad idea.